


Come Uncover Me

by riverleafing



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 04:11:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17891261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverleafing/pseuds/riverleafing
Summary: WIP being pieced together, inspired by Seraphinite's canon settings, Book 1 & Book 2 [demo]), and my mind's eagerness to explore more of that world.Plus:  Nat = Real love(Coming soon! Burgeoning dashes of Nat angst)





	1. That First Morning

Though my eyes are closed, I sense the sunlight softly permeating through my bedroom. I lay still, my bare back exposed to the cozy air, my face pressed to the bicep of one of my arms hugging the pillow beneath me. My alarm hasn’t yet sounded, but I begin to wonder if I ought to roll out of bed anyway; just then, I feel a warm touch on my shoulder tracing a path across my back to follow along my spine. The sensation causes a flush over my skin and an immediate smile to raise to my eyes as I peer out over my arm at the woman beside me.  
Nat's head rests against her wrist. I catch her smile brighten and her gaze flick from her hand at the down of my back up to my eyes.

“Mmm, good morning,” I muffle into my arm, eyes crinkling with amusement.

“Indeed it is,” she smiles wider, eyes gleaming. 

After a moment of gazing at one another my eyes fall shut again but the smile doesn’t leave my eyes. “What a pleasant dream this is,” I say to myself in a sigh before really realizing I spoke the thought aloud. 

I feel the weight shift on my bed and a gentle kiss on my shoulder, Nat's hand moving across my waist. “I hope a persistent dream, then.” Her voice lures my eyes to flutter open once more.

My heart begins to beat faster to see her hovering so near over me. Seemingly sensing my reaction, her eyes light up in delight.

As if to ensure she truly were there beside me, I draw my arm down beside me and reach my fingers out to touch her stomach beneath the covers. She quivers at my touch and I see her smile drop from her face, only to be replaced by an openly desirous expression when I stroke my fingers lightly down her bare skin. I blush at the intense heat suddenly radiating between us. Overwhelmed by the intensity of my own rekindled desire from her look, I hide my face slightly in the pillow. 

I clear my throat and turn back to her with newfound seriousness, though the pleasure unhidden from my eyes, “This is making for some dangerous potential of me being very late for work today.” 

As if on cue, my alarm sounds. Nat's eyes glance to it before returning to me, a small smile now on her lips. 

I sigh sharply in annoyance at the rude alarm and reach to snooze it just to have a moment longer. 

"Take your time being saved from any morning dangers today,” With a calm smile and and amused glimmer in her eyes, Nat leans closer to kiss the tip of my nose. "I’ll put on the kettle.” 

She gracefully slips out from beneath the covers, stretches out like an unfurling cat, then pulls on the silken robe laid across the footboard the night before.

I watch her disappear into the kitchen doorway.  
“So incredible," I absently mutter in awe.


	2. Warm Beginnings

Though she continues to prepare the kettle, Nat smiles to herself when she hears the detective in the other room. Soon recognizing, too, a new unfamiliar mechanical hum in the kitchen. 

To the side, a vintage refrigerator that most people would call an _ice box_ these days. Four staggered brass hooks meant to hold drinking glasses decorate one side. Nat reasons that this small fridge must have been what Claire had asked Ava to help bring up to the apartment that day. 

Out of curiosity, Nat opens the heavy wooden cabinet door to see it indeed lacks the large block of hard ice, instead chilled in a modern way. A couple of unopened bottles of alcohol sit on the main shelf. The shallow drawer, traditionally used to catch the melting water, is now marked with a red cross and two ice-packs for sprains lay inside. "Poor Claire," she thinks with a light frown, "She's often been sore from training at the Agency lately. I'll have to remember to ask more if she needs anything."

Nat hears the detective turn on the shower just as the kettle reaches a pre-boil. She's readied her tea with a bit of milk and Claire's French-press coffee for further steeping. She'll wait a little with a book in the living room. She muses she would find some pleasure in perfecting a secondary morning routine.

Sitting in a chair, a flash of memory from the night before interrupts Nat's calm thoughts. She feels her whole body heat, a smile stuck to her expression. What an lovely challenge to reading..

[[Outside PD, meet w/Farrah on patrol today]]


	3. Agency Library

I push open the carved mahogany door to the library and see Nat sitting at the far end of an oxblood leather chesterfield sofa, peering up from a binder of paperwork. A broad, warm smile welcomes me.

"It's so good to see you," Nat greets, her deep voice sliding through the silence and tickling my skin. "I feel like I was just thinking of you." 

"I was thinking of you all day," I murmur more to myself, blushing as I step in. I look back up to her eyes, now glimmering in the available light. "I had another errand here, so I came in hoping to find something new to read before I went home. I heard most of these are yours!" I continue enthusiastically, my eyes sweeping the room to admire again the awe-inspiring collection of books. "Could you recommend a favourite of yours for me to start with?" 

"To start with?" Nat asked with a brightening expression, lowering her work binder to her lap. "Well, I do have many favourites. Various topics, in various languages..." Nat tapped her finger to her lip in contemplation.

For a moment I considered her action an invitation, or _really I was just wishing it were_. "Aside from English I read French, along with some Spanish; not enough of other languages yet," I blurt out in an attempt at distraction for myself. "Maybe just some light reading? I love good historical fictions, stories of intrigue, fantasy, romance--" I stop myself when I see her smile raise into a curiously amused one.

"Let's have a look." Nat stands and walks to the bookshelf behind where she sat. "Hmm," she hums as she scans the collection while I cross the room to her side. "This bookcase has a lot of those that I like to reread from time to time," she informs me with a soft smile. "But you're very welcome to take any books from the library in your interests - whenever you like, of course." 

"Thank you, I appreciate that," I reply, "but I'm currently feeling far more inspired to visit more of your interests."

Nat's face brightened at that. "I admit that has made me very delighted to know." Nat's gaze held my eyes and the warmth in the air seemed higher than I remember normal for libraries. I felt my heart skipping, maybe in attempt to regulate my temperature. 

Nat's smile broadens. She turns her eyes to her long fingers delicately plucking out a sage-green novel to offer me. "If you're comfortable with French, this one is a well-set historical fiction full of intrigue and... a bit of romance," she explains, deep brown eyes sparkling at me. "Among other things, I am curious to know more about how you've come to learn French and Spanish so well."

My fingers brush against Nat's when I take the book from her hand; I press it to my chest as if to hide the continued hard thumping of my heart. "Oh, I know a bit more French, honestly. I learnt at university and I still have French-speaking family living abroad. Spanish, I learnt longer ago with exchange-student friends in Wayhaven. That's still handy for helping at work sometimes, too." 

Nat tilts her head slightly, smiling genuinely. "You continue to amaze me so often, Claire," she says, gaze held again. The lingering moment breaks only when she leans closer. "I'd enjoy learning much more with you soon," she says in a low tone that makes my skin erupt in a tinglings down my shoulders. Her happy smile falters with sigh as she stands and continues, "Sadly for now, I have quite a few patrol reports to finish reviewing." She tosses me a forced smile, returning to her place on the couch with her binder. 

"Nat?" I quietly call for her attention. "Would I be disturbing your study if I came to read beside you?"

"It wouldn't disturb me." she replies with a genuine smile, and gesturing for me to sit near her.

Beside her, I flicked my eyes to hers then away again when I find her already looking at me. Still, I feel encouraged to take advantage of our revisited closeness. "Nat," I gently call again. I take a steadying breath and continue, "There's also something I always wanted to do, with the right person I guess." I turn back with a pleading look, "May I lie on your lap as I read? Would you mind?" 

Nat's eyebrows raise suddenly but her kind smile only glows.  
"So I'm 'the right one', then?" I almost think I see a flicker of a smirk before she answers in a heavy whisper, "I would not mind that at all." She places her binder on the arm of the couch, allowing me access to lay across her lap.

My smile instantly grows into a grin as I carefully kick off my shoes before stretching out my legs. Nat's eyes crinkle with amusement as she watches me settle into her lap. I sigh happily, finally relaxing into a cozy calm, pressed against Nat with a book in my hands.

Nat returns to her own reading with a lingering smile. Many minutes pass, only the sound of breath and turning pages between us. When my heartbeat picks up, Nat peers over to check to where in the story I've made it... clearly the best 'romantic' part! A soft smile overcomes Nat as she carefully places her material back down on the wide arm of the sofa. She reaches out and touches the underside of my wrist as I hold my book. My heartbeat escalates even higher as she slowly strokes her fingertips gently down and up my forearm. I enjoy it for a moment, but then I speak.

"Nat," I call firmly, though my eyes never leave the page. "I've read the same sentence three times since you started touching me."

"Sorry," she chuckles from deep in her chest. She relaxes her hand to lay warmly on my stomach. "Would this be okay?"

I raise my eyes to meet her soft gaze over me. "Feels good. If it doesn't move," I say with a a playful smile, "I can possibly even focus my imagination even better."

"Glad I could help," she says with a growing smile, turning back to her own reading material.

Suddenly the heavy mahogany door swings open easily as Ava steps in with a book in her hands. She pauses briefly at the threshold to scan over the scene of us on the long couch before she continues ahead. Her lips draw tightly as she flashes a questioning brow at Nat and the intimate positioning of us. 

Nat simply conveys her feelings of amusement with a wide smile, then calling out to her brightly with an added accent to her name, "Ava!" She continues speaking in French, with what seems to hold a curious undertone of pride, _It would seem that Claire can read and speak French!_

 _Ah, is that so?_ Ava responds in French with casual interest, sitting in the sofa's matching armchair diagonal from Nat.

 _Only at an intermediate level_ , I quickly clarify in Parisian-accented French. _I have some family in Belgium and northern France that I visit from time to time._

Ava brows twitch in surprise. _Your accent is quite good for an anglophone._

_Thank you, Mme Agent. That's very kind!_

Ava looks confused for a moment, but then gives a satisfactory nod to accept that her statement of truth was taken as a kindness.

Nat cracks a smile then goes on to speak to Ava, suddenly, in a dialect unfamiliar to me. The smooth transition to this peculiar pronunciation, along with sprinklings of what sounds more like Latin, makes me think it's a form of French more familiar between them than regularly used in the world.

I easily tune the soothing sound of their discussion to the background as I continue to read. Until after a time--all at once--their voices come to a halt. I raise my eyes to Nat, who appears to have something of an amused but strongly pleading look on her face. I try to turn my head over my shoulder to catch Ava's expression on the receiving end, but is already up and stepping away from the chair. "Well," she tosses her words as she goes towards the library exit, "I recall I have some urgent things to attend. I'll leave you to read in peace."

"See you later, then!"

Ava provides a stiff nod to Claire in response, glancing up to Nat, she then resumes to stride out the door. 

As the door clicks shut, Nat gazes down at me with a soft smile before returning to her study. The thumb of her hand on my stomach seems to absently pet across a small space, bringing my attention back to a bubble around just us. In a short time, I finish another chapter and flip the novel's bookmark string down. I place the closed book on the antique walnut coffeetable beside us, then swiftly turn on my side towards Nat, eyes closed.

"Sleepy?" Nat quietly asks, her hand levitating over me as I adjust for comfort. 

"Mm no, just resting my eyes. And, I just want to savour things a little bit," I respond with a smile, nudging my head closer to her stomach for warmth. 

Nat now allowed herself to look down and across this woman cuddled up on her. Her stomach flutters at the sight. She felt this closeness to Claire was just what she's been wanting all day, without fully knowing it, wanting just to feel her near again... 

She places her hand on my shoulder, running her fingers down and up my arm again.

"Was there a particular part in the story you wish to savour?  
"Yes... That, too." I reply with a playful half smile, my hand petting Nat's side. 

Smiling, she leans in closer to me.  
"Then would you like that I come savour some more time with you tonight, as well?" she inquires in a low, intimate tone.

My eyes open at that. I turn my face up to meet hers, my soft smile growing to an embarrassingly large grin.  
"Yes, I would like that," I respond just as softly, despite all the giddy feelings bursting in my chest.

Her expression brightens as she sits up again.  
"Then I'll be sure to finish up here more quickly. Could we meet at yours in an hour or so?"

"You want me to leave?" I ask, attempting to hide a pang an emergent sadness.

"Not exactly. The truth is I've found myself feeling rather weary towards work focus today," she says smiling, leaning closer again she adds, "Still somewhat unfocused now, but the promise of gaining such valued company elsewhere again is instantly... re-invigorating."

"Good answer," I chuckle, rolling off the couch with renewed energy. "I can make my way home to help with that."  
I pull on my shoes, lean in and kiss Nat's cheek. My eyes linger with hers a moment, chest squeezing with a want to say something in particular before I go. I push the notion away, daring not to jinx anything.

"I'll see you soon," she offers.

"Yes," I answer breathily. "I look forward to that."


	4. Another morning (& Another)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In WIP note form: The "first week of intimacy"

Ripples of wakefulness seep into and swell within me as I feel a hand tenderly slide from the side of my bent knee, back across my thigh. Nat’s long fingers spread out, palm my hip and tug me firmly against her. I cannot help but smirk. 

“Good morning,” she whispers huskily beside me ear, the smile on her lips very evident even though my eyes are still closed. 

“Every day now,” I confirm, smiling genuinely in return. Though I still feel too sleepy to open my eyes, I cannot stop myself smiling. 

Nat leans in and kisses my cheekbone, brushes my hair aside and settles behind me to kiss the nape of my neck. 

Drawing in a deep breath, I stretch my arms in effort to wake a little more. Turning around to face her, my eyes flutter open to find her watching me intently, her smile growing when I blush at the highly-focused attention. Smiling broadly but still not willing to keep my eyes open, I choose instead to snuggle up closer to her, breathing in to fill my lungs with the warm sleepy scent of her skin.

“Mmm, you always smell so good.” 

“Do I?" Her smiling voice reverberating from her chest amplifies the feeling of intimacy as it seems to wrap my skin in a warm, tingling embrace. 

"Mm," I lazily affirm, falling back a little into almost sleeping, "...familiar...comfy."

"What is it that I smell like to you?” she asks with a curious tone, urging me to stay awake.

“hmm, like rain...like rain on fresh earth.” I breathe her in again, moving my head beneath her chin to press my lips against her throat. Waking up to the excitement this closeness seems to spark in me, I muse aloud, “I really can’t seem to get enough of you.” 

“Mmm,” her throat vibrates in appreciation as she chuckles lightly, “I think I will be smiling all day knowing that.”

\-----  
[[The following morning 01]]

“Good morning,” Nat muffles the words into my neck, kissing me before pulling away again to look into my eyes.

“It is,” I agree, then bite my lip while looking at hers. I glance back up to her eyes to ask in a flirtatious tone, “But you know a way we can make it better?”

A slow smirk spreads across her lips, chuckling in her reply, “Oh, I know of a few.”

She wraps me up into her arms to roll us over one another, making me both giggle at her playfulness and feel deeply aroused at her willingness to continue our love-making in the morning.

_Oh Love, this woman! Thank you, Stars. Thank you, Fates. Oh, gods, I thank you all.._


	5. Love in Fall

[[The following morning, *weekend*]]

For once I open my eyes and find Nat facing me with eyes closed; the serene smile on her lips, however, suggesting she’s not quite sleeping. I reach to draw my fingertips down her wrist, greeting her to wake, “Good morning my Love.”

Nat’s arm prickles in pleasure as she opens her eyes to me, her bright expression growing in a way that seems to make her whole body glow. “Good morning,” she responds, her smiling eyes now dancing across my face.

“Should we stay in bed awhile today? Or is there something to call you away?”

Her long smile falters to a smaller one just before she speaks, “Sadly, yes to the latter; I’ll need to go into the Agency shortly. .. But it’s only to be a relatively short report with Agent Dubois.”

“Then I can go with you. Or rather, I can meet you there. My mother wanted me to stop by this week when I could arrange it anyway. .. From there, perhaps we can arrange a lunch date?”

Nat’s smile lengthens again, “I would very much like that."

[[That day, at Agency] ]  
Rebecca’s phone chirrups in her pocket and she suddenly excuses herself from the room. On her way to the door she touches me on the shoulder, “Follow me, please?”  
I nod and open the door for her. I nearly shut it as I follow her out, but step back in just enough to lean over to Nat [who’s been leaning just to the right of the door, her hands in her pockets].

Nat turns her head towards me, but I cup my hands around her ear and deliver a short message in a voice so breathless that I doubt a human could well hear it. I drop my hands back to the door and smile at her, hoping to confirm she understood. The glowing flush on her face and impossibly large smile is more than confirmation enough.

Rebecca calls with some impatience, “Claire?”

“Proceeding,” I flash a smile at Nat and pull the door shut to head towards my mother.

Nat flusters, fidgeting in her previously comfortable spot and looking at the floor as if replaying the message in her ear again.

Farah’s face explodes in a grin, “Oh, what was that to make our clever Natkins so at a loss for words? … Did I hear--”

Nat’s expression falls off, “Nothing of your concern.” Nat casts a sharp look at Farah as she suddenly stands up straight.

Unaffected by Nat’s tone Farah teasingly ribs her more, “But you admit you're truly smitten by our detective now?”

Nat has already turned away, seemingly ignoring Farah’s words entirely now, stepping a couple of strides away, her hands trying to hide her lips. Still, even Farah can see her blushing smile is returning in full force. And hear Nat’s heartbeat thrumming in her chest.

Farah’s face changes in piqued curiosity, head cocked slightly, “Ah it’s more than that now, isn’t it?”

Ava casts a look to Nat, raising a quizzical eyebrow at her oldest friend.

 

=========  
[[snippet draft: Nat tells Ava about Claire]]

"She called you 'adorable'," Nat conveys with a bright expression.

"Adorable?" Ava asks, eyes wide with surprised confusion. "She must be thinking of someone else."

"I believe she genuinely admires you," Nat chuckles, brushing some of her hair over her ear.

For a beat, Ava's lips purse as she locks eyes with Nat. "I believe she admires you _far_ more than me, Nat."

Nat turns her head aside, fingers partially hiding her uncontrollable smile, recalling private memories that would confirm Ava's assessment. She ponders on the similar feeling she hold towards Claire, then. Nat's fingers fidget a moment before she stuffs them into the pockets of her jeans. Suddenly she turns back to her closest friend, breaking the silence for that truth that's been dancing on her mind.  


"I think I've fallen for her, Ava." Nat's confession comes out firm, but--knowing the likelihood of strong disapproval--softly stated.

Ava's shoulders drop, her eyes softening.  
"Nat," she breathes out, her tone heavy with both sadness and warning. "You know that's a dangerous path."

"I know," Nat replies, glancing away and back again, "But this doesn't feel wrong. I'm _not_ uncertain of my feelings." Nat closes her eyes for a calming breath to her rising excitement at the thought. Opening her eyes to Ava, she continues, "Claire has wrapped me up and brought me to a world of of such happiness I truly cannot recall ever knowing before; I don't want to turn back."

"How well does she know the world you were in?"

"Does it matter?"

"Humans are fickle creatures."

"Claire hasn't reacted like others have in the past at all. What makes you think she would act negatively now?"

Ava frowns. "Has she really ever seen any of us? Even the kindest humans I've known--at best--pull away. We're not natural. Inherently they feel we're _fiends_... inhuman _monsters_ ," Ava growls through gritted teeth. "None of them really accept us comfortably. ...Not that they should."

Nat swallows, drawing her lips close in disagreement but unable to support her feelings with facts just yet.

Ava sighs gently and places a hand gently on her friend's arm. "Look, I believe she cares for you deeply, Nat. But I do, too. ... Be careful with going too far in."

Nat laughs out a breath. "I've fallen, remember? Afraid I'm already too far in. There's no turning back for me now."

"A dangerous path--"

"I'll cross those bridges when I come to them."

**Author's Note:**

> "The Wayhaven Chronicles" and all original characters are owned by the fantastic Mishka Jenkins (aka Sera / Seraphinite Games). Read her stories on Google Play, Steam,etc! Fall in love with an Agent & support her on Patreon!


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